Cessna 172G N1365F

Summary

On 11 March 1989 at about 23:20 local time, a Cessna 172G registered N1365F, operated by Flewellen Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Coolidge, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 March 1989 at 23:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Coolidge, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

31.0107, -83.8591

Aircraft

Cessna 172G

Registration

N1365F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Flewellen Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Crystal River → Albany

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ATL89LA102

Nobody was injured.

FUEL CONTAMINATION OF AN UNKNOWN ORIGIN, FAILURE OF COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO LOCATE AND REMOVE ALL CONTAMINATION, CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT AFTER THE CAUSE OF A KNOWN ENGINE PROBLEM WAS NOT DETERMINED, AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL STARVATION. THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DUSK AND THE SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ENGINE LOST PWR DURING A FERRY FLT & A FORCED LDG WAS MADE IN A SOFT FIELD, WHERE THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. A POST-CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR FUEL-INLET FILTER SCREEN WAS MOSTLY BLOCKED WITH A LINT-LIKE MATERIAL. A MICROSCOPIC EXAM OF THE MATERIAL REVEALED THAT IT APPEARED TO BE CLOTH FIBERS. THE SOURCE OF THE MATERIAL WAS NOT DETERMINED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD EXPERIENCED REPEATED, INTERMITTENT PWR LOSSES OVER THE PREVIOUS WEEK IN SPITE OF REPEATED EFFORTS BY COMPANY MECHANICS TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANICS, CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THOSE EFFORTS; THE FILTERS WERE CLEANED AND THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED. THE INTERMITTENT POWER LOSSES OCCURRED AGAIN. EARLIER ON THIS FLT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE & A PRECAUTIONARY LDG WAS MADE. THE MECHANIC ACCOMPANYING THE PLT REPORTEDLY FOUND NO PROBLEMS AND THE FLT WAS CONTINUED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 1 HR LATER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.